DHCS Stakeholder News - June 2, 2023​

Program Updates

ACEs Aware Quarterly Report

On June 1, DHCS released a quarterly data report on the ACEs Aware initiative's progress on Medi-Cal provider training and certification, as well as the number of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screenings conducted in Medi-Cal. As of March 2023, 29,160 individuals completed the ACEs Aware training and providers conducted 1,544,250 ACE screenings of 919,980 unique Medi-Cal members ages 0 to 20 (children can be screened annually) and 193,610 unique Medi-Cal members ages 21 to 64 between January 2020 and June 2022.

Led by DHCS, the Office of the California Surgeon General, and the UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network, ACEs Aware offers Medi-Cal providers training, screening tools, clinical protocols, and payment for screening children and adults for ACEs and risk of toxic stress to inform treatment planning.  To become ACEs Aware-certified, Medi-Cal providers must complete an ACEs Aware core training and attest to doing so. For more information, please visit the ACEs Aware website.

Coming Soon: Care Economy Payments for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Direct Care Workers

On June 12, DHCS will open the application process for HCBS organizations to apply for a $500 one-time incentive payment on behalf of their employees. The application will close on July 10. The incentive payment is specifically for non-In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) HCBS direct care workers who provided HCBS to vulnerable populations in a community setting for at least two months between March 2020 and March 2022 during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Send questions to HCBSCareEconomyPayments@dhcs.ca.gov. More information on this project, including eligibility requirements and the application link, is available on the Care Economy Payments for HCBS Direct Care Workers webpa​ge and the Home and Community-Based Services Spending Plan webpage.

Data on Asset Limit Increase

On May 31, DHCS posted the numbers of individuals newly eligible for Non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income (Non-MAGI) Medi-Cal programs due to the increase in asset limits, effective July 1, 2022. The data are posted to the DHCS Asset Limit Changes webpage and provide the number of newly eligible individuals for the months of October 2022 through December 2022, and January 2023 through March 2023, broken down by county. The purpose of these data is to inform interested parties about the number of individuals who became newly eligible for Non-MAGI Medi-Cal programs in the first nine months of the asset limit increase. These data will be published in English and Spanish.

Smile, California Campaign for Medi-Cal Dental Services

June is Men's Health Month, and Smile, California reminds male Medi-Cal members of all ages to visit the dentist regularly. Smile, California has launched organic and paid social media campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok that will continue throughout June. The paid campaigns have promoted Smile, California's video, “Don't Wait Until It Hurts to See the Dentist", and empowered men and boys to use their Medi-Cal benefits to take advantage of their free or low-cost dental services.

Introducing the Medi-Cal Communications Cohort

Join DHCS in spreading the word about the Medi-Cal transformation and the vital importance of Medi-Cal to millions of Californians. We invite your organization to join the Medi-Cal Communications Cohort, a new group of dedicated communicators. Together, we will work to promote the value of Medi-Cal to members, providers, and communities across California. 

To join us and learn more about the Medi-Cal Communications Cohort, please email DHCSGetInvolved@dhcs.ca.gov. We look forward to collaborating with you.​

Join Our Team 

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars

CalAIM Behavioral Health Workgroup Meeting

On June 8, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., DHCS will host the CalAIM Behavioral Health Workgroup webinar (advance Zoom registration required). The goal of this meeting is to provide updates on the CalAIM Behavioral Health Documentation Redesign initiative and Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH CONNECT) demonstration. Workgroup members will provide feedback on implementation and operational considerations. Please see the webinar agenda for more details. For information, please visit the CalAIM webpage.

Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Justice-Involved Round 3 Informational Webinar

 On June 13, from 10 to11 a.m., DHCS will host an informational webinar (advance registration required) to provide application support for interested entities ahead of the July 31 application deadline for PATH Justice-Involved Initiative Round 3 funding. The meeting invite and additional details will be available on the Justice-Involved Capacity Building Program website. Send questions to justice-involved@ca-path.com.

On May 1, DHCS opened the PATH Justice-Involved Initiative Round 3 application window, with applications due on July 31. Round 3 funding will support correctional agencies, county behavioral health agencies, and other justice-involved stakeholders as they implement personnel, capacity, and/or IT systems that are needed for collaborative planning and implementation to effectuate pre-release service processes. 

Enhanced Care Management (ECM) for Children and Youth

On June 23, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., DHCS will host a virtual event (advance registration required) on the vision for ECM for children and youth, in advance of the launch of ECM for Children and Youth Populations of Focus on July 1. DHCS leaders will be joined by a panel of providers, community-based organizations (CBOs), and managed care plans (MCPs) to provide: 

• A reminder of the design and operational guidance for the Children and Youth POF 
• Examples of how providers are preparing to launch ECM for the Children and Youth POF 
• Guidance to MCPs, counties, and other providers on contracting for the ECM benefit.     

This webinar is open to the public, and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions. It will be of special interest to MCPs and providers working with children and youth, and for those who are new to contracting with MCPs, such as counties and CBOs. Please submit questions to CalAIMECMILOS@dhcs.ca.gov no later than June 19.  

Doula Implementation Workgroup Meeting

On June 23, DHCS will host a Doula Implementation Workgroup meeting from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to address the requirements of Senate Bill 65 (Chapter 449, Statutes of 2021) to examine the implementation of doula services as a covered Medi-Cal benefit. The meeting will focus on identifying barriers impeding access to doula services, recommending outreach efforts to help ensure Medi-Cal members are aware of the option to use doula services, and identifying and minimizing delays in payments to Medi-Cal doulas or in reimbursements to Medi-Cal members for doula services received.

The workgroup includes doulas, health care providers, consumer and community advocates, health plans, county representatives, and other stakeholders with experience in doula services. Information about the doula benefit is available on the DHCS webpage for doula services. A link for the public to listen to the meeting will be posted on that page by June 19. Written comments may be emailed to DoulaBenefit@dhcs.ca.gov.

In Case You Missed It

California Awards $7.4 Million to Tribes for Mobile Crisis Care

On June 1, DHCS awarded more than $7.4 million to 24 California tribal organizations through the Crisis Care Mobile Units (CCMU) program, to support tribal entities in expanding access to behavioral health crisis and non-crisis care by funding vehicles and vehicle-related costs. Grantees will use funds to assess the needs of mobile crisis and non-crisis programs in their region, implement a new CCMU program, or expand an existing CCMU program.

This project is funded by the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program authorized by 2021 legislation (AB 133, Chapter 143). For more information, please visit the CCMU - Improving California's Infrastructure webpage.​